Telescopic mast



W. C. HOWARD TELES COPIC MAST 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

BMW/Li May 9, 1961 Filed Sept. l0, 1957 May 9, 1961 w. c. HOWARD 2,983,342

TELESCOPIC MAST Filed Sept. 10, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 i6 i l 1 i .v5/y 2 ,9

. I v7 Wgf HM/afd,

inde/1ers TnLEscoPrc MAsr Weitere. Howard, Pioneer, Calif. Filed sept. 10, 1957,15, No. 683,012

z claims. (ci. 189-216).

This invention relates to a method of and meansl for erecting a mast such asa mast tobe used for supporting y 4iatenred May 9, 1961 rice vide a support for a member 1li-which may be a vtelevision; antenna.

- Extending outwardly from the upper ends of the sections 10 and11 of the mast areapertured ears which are indicated respectively by the numerals 15 and 15 and guy linesl and 16- are connected -to the ears 15 and 15', the lower ends kof'the lines adapted to be connected to pegsy or anchoring elements 17l which project upwardly from the ground=1 8.

Referring to Figures 7; and 8 of the drawings, there is illustratedvv a bracketwhich is indicated generally by the numerall 19, and? :the bracket- 19'includes al pair of spaced parallel portions 20 which are connected by means of an end portion 2 1, andthe portions 20 terminate in curved portions 2 2 which straddle the rod 13. Lips 26 extend from thecurved portions 2.2, and the lips 26 have a1suitable bolt and nutassembly 27 extending therebetween with -a minimunrofeffort andwherein'extremely high mastsl can be erected byusing the principle of the present invention. v

Astill further object ofthe invention is to providev a means for erecting a telescopic mast rwhereinthere is providedflacontnol cable which isarrangedin engagement with a pulley, and wherein the control cable is'connected tofa'slidable member, the member having guyl lines connected thereto so that by pulling on the control cable, tension on the guylinesor guy wires can be maintained at the' proper amount whereby a person can more easily andquickly erect a mast, as for example when a mast is being erected to be usedfor supporting a television antenna. v A further object of the invention `is to provide a telescopic mast'whichV is extremely simple inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects and= advantages will be apparent during the courseof the following description.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis application, and inwhich like numerals are used to designate like parts throughout the same. l

`Figure lisa longitudinalvertical sectional view ofthe telescopic mast of the present invention' showing theparts inI lowered position.'

' Figure 2 is'lanenlarg'ed sectional -view similar to Figurel l, but vshowing a first vstep position 'in raising the mast.

Figure 3 isf an elevational View, showing the next position after Figure 2 in the raising of the mast.

' Figur'el4 is a sectional view showing the position of the parts lafter lthe mast has been raised all the way up whereby' the bracket 19 can be secured to the lower portion of the rod 13. A bolt 23 extends between the portions 20 of thebracket .'19, anda pulley 24 is mountedl on a bolt' or pin- ZSas shown in Figures 7 and 8 for example. The numeralZS indicates a controlcable which is trained over the pulleyf l251,- andthe controlY cable 28 may have a hand-loop 29 on'one end thereof.

'There is further provided a slidable support member which is indicatedlgenerally by the numeral 30,Figures5 land 6L The support member 3 0 may consist of a pair of showing the guy'wires anchored or fastened in place. i

Figui-e5 isv an enlarged elevational view illustrating the slidable supportmember. 'Y Figure 6 is a top plan View ofthe support member of Figure 5 I i 1 Figure 7' is an elevational view illustrating the bracket which supports? the pulleys. v Y w f Fguretisiaylavew Oflhbracjkef Qf Figuref7-i Figure 9 is afragmentarysectional view illustrating kcertain constructionaldetails of the present invention.

similar pieces 31,` which in their assembled position form a'cylindrical member that slidably engages one of the Ysections :such as the section 12. The pieces 31 are provided with lips 32gwhich are connected together by suitable `bolt'anl nut assemblies 33, and extending outwardly from the upper end of the support member 30 is an apertured lug 34 which is adapted to be connectedrto anend of the controlcable 2.8. Extending outwardly4 from the lower end'o the support member 301 is a plurality `of apertured ears-or lugs 35, and these ears 35 are adapted to have guy lines such as the guy lines 16 connected thereto. YThe numeral 36 indicatesa bolt which may be extended through'openings 3 6" and 36" in the sections- 10 and 11S whereby'these sections willv not accidentallymove downward. 'I-he bracket 19'is-also-provided with apertures or openingssuch astheopenings 37 whereby guy lines 16'-may be connected thereto.

From the foregoing, it` isapparent that there has been provided la. method yof and Ymeans for erecting `a telescopic mast, andi wherein 'according to the present invention there is provided the sliding guy line ring-ormembert) which-*is longr enoughv to slidey smoothly without binding,

and whereinthe lengthl o fthemember 30 may be atleast twice its-diameter. rI lhis member maybe made of light-l v I weightlfmaterial suchf asfmaststock. On one end ofthe member Silithere -arethe vrplurality of ears 35 whicho'an be formed bycuttinginto and bending out the-lower portionofthe member 30, andi these earsv 35 have holes thereinwherebyguy `lineslsuchlas'the guy lines 16? can be connected thereto. On -the other or upperend of the support member 30, there isvprovide'd one orfmore *ears* upper end of the section 10 are secured in the usual manner as for example to the anchors or pegsy 17. Then,

with all of the guy lines, and with the support member 30v and other parts in their proper places, and with the member 30 on the section 12, the pulley bracket 19 can be clamped on the lower end of the rod 13 whereby the pulley 24 will be positioned directly over the sliding member 30 with nothing therebetween to interfere.

Next, the user fastens one end of the control cable 28 to the lug 34 yon the member'30 and to the other endof the cable 28 is allowed to hang down alongside thermast. Then, the user lifts up the two top sections 12'and 13 as for example from the position shown in vFigure 1-V tothe position shown in Figure 2, and these sections are locked in position by means of a bolt such'as the bolt 39 which is extended through the registering apertures 39 and 39". Tension is maintained on the control cable 28 at all times whereby the sliding member 30 can be pulled up, and after the parts have been moved to the position shown in Figure 2 the bolt 39 is extended through registering apertures or openings 39' and 39 in the sections 11 and 12, and then the guy Wires or lines 16" are fastened to the ground as at 17 and the use of the guy wires helps insure that the antenna or member 14 will be held steady so that the tendency of the antenna to sway in the wind will be minimized. Tension is maintained on the cable 28 during the raising of the mast, and after the parts are moved to the position in Figure 2, the bolt 39 is extended through the registering apertures 39' and 39" so as to prevent the mast from collapsing or accidentally moving downward. With the parts in the position `of Figure 2, the mast can be further extended upwardly by manual pressure so that the mast can be extended from the position shown in Figure 2 to the position shown in Figures 3 and 4 and when the parts are in the position of Figure 3 the bolt 36 is extended through the registering apertures 39 and 39", it being understood that during this action, tension is maintained on the line` or cable 28, and tension is maintained on the control cable or line 2.8y by holding the control cable 23 against the mast with the hands, and the hands of the user can be moved hand over hand as the mast is being extended upwardly whereby the cable 28 will be held tight against the mast at 'all times. After the mast is fully extended or raised, all of the guys such as the guys 16" are anchored as at V17 in order to maintain the mast in its extended position, and with the bolts 36 and 39 in place in their registering apertures, and with the guy lines taut, manual pressure can be released and the mast will remain immobile in its extended position. The cycle above lset forth is adapted to be repeated so that the various sections can b e erected. This is continued until the mast is fully extended 'and then all of the guy lines are secured and the job is completed. On an extremely high mast, more than one rigging can be used and these may be fastened together or used singly. By using the principle of the present invention, a mast several hundred feet high may b e erected. v v

The device of the present invention will permit one person to keep a telescopic mast safelyl guyed while it is .being erected and the present invention will permit the use of taller masts. The present invention will also reduce high mast installationcosts since the mast can be erected with a minimum of help.V According to the method of the present invention, the mast can be erected quickly and safely because the mast is held steady at all times and it is not necessary to rely on the ability of the guy line attendants to release the cable smoothly and uniformly.

Thus, according to the present invention when the mast is being raised, the sliding member is placed in position at the starting position at the top of the particular section,

, 4 t, l 1 and then the control cable 2,8 is pulled snug and then the hands of the user are clamped tightly over the control cable against the section ofthe mast that is being lifted Iand the hands can be moved hand over hand as the mast goes up so that the cable is held tightly against the mast at yall times. By having the support member made of split parts 31, this member can be taken apart and fastened together over the mast rather than being slipped over the ends of the mast. The bracket 19 is constructed so that there will be no chance of the control cable ac cidentally working loose or coming off of the pulley. As previously described, the support' member 30 may be made in two halves or two pieces 31 for ease of installation or assembly. y Y

I claim:

l. In la mast, a plurality of telescopic sections including a lower section, an upper section, and at least one intermediate section, a rod extending upwardly from the upper section and secured thereto, a body member connected to the upper end of said rod, a bracket secured to the lower portion of said rod and said bracket including a pair of side members each having a iirst portion,l a pulley journaled between said iirst portions, a control cable trained over Vsaid pulley, said bracket furtherincluding curved portions surrounding said rod, and said curved portions terminating in spaced parallel lips, securing elements extending between said lips` and connected thereto, a support member slidably connected to said intermediate section, an apertured lug extending from the upper end of said support member and connected to an end of said control cable, a plurality of aperturedearsextending outwardly from the lower end of said support member, guy lines connected to said ears, and a plurality of guy lines extending` from the upper ends of saidv sections and adapted to be anchored in a lower supporting area. y

2, In a mast, `a. plurality of telescopic sections of vdifferent diametrs including a lower section, an upper section,and'at least one intermediate section, Iarod extend- Vingupwardly from the upper section and securedthereto, a body member connected to the upper end o f said rod, a bracket secured to the lower portion of said rod and said bracket including a pair of side members each having a rst portion, a pulley journaled between said first portions, a control cable trained over said pulley, said control cable having 1a hand loop on one end thereof, said bracket further including curved portions sur-rounding said rod, and said curved portions terminating in spaced parallel lips, securing elements extending between said lips and connected thereto, a support member slidably connected to said intermediate section, an apertured lug extending from the'upper end of said support member and connected to an end of said control cable, `a plurality of apertured earsV extending outwardly from the lower end of said supportmember, guy lines connected to said ears, Aand a plurality of guy lines extending from the upper ends :of said sections and adapted to be anchored in a lower supporting area, said support member including a pair of similar pieces which are connected together. r

References Cited the lile of this patent i.

UNITED STATES PATENTSY Great Britain June v18, 1931 

